North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Gianni" <GIANNI-2@prodigy.net>]

Hi Don:

 

A man much wiser than me I know from Nafex, tried to drive this point home with me in

referencing that "nature provides for pollination". Found it hard to believe when you have

flowers popping and the nite temps are in the 0's-30's.

So if you have very, very early bloomers and suspect due to temp, the pollinators are not

out, then manual process may suffice. I'm guessing it couldn't hurt as long as skin oils

stayed away from the pollen?

 

Thanks a lot Don, do appreciate it....

Apologies for jumping in on Robert's query.

 

Best of growing,

Gianni

----- Original Message -----

From: Don Yellman

To: nafex@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 1:00 PM

Subject: [nafex] Pollen Grains

Gianni:
    Pollen grains vary somewhat in size, and, of course, in color, but
in general are microscopic in size and thus not visible to the naked
eye.  When magnified, many pollen grains look like little spiny sea
urchins, which is what irritates many people's allergies.  When
concentrated together, as on the pollen baskets of a bee, they are
highly visible and brightly colored.
    No, self-fertile/self-pollinating has nothing to do with it, and
there are no oils or other invisible substances involved, insofar as I
know.
    Yes, I believe manual pollination definately helps, especially in
the absence of pollinating insects.

    Bees are attracted by both color and odor, which is why most flowers
have both.


Rgds, Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA



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